Angie's Revenge
by Bunny1
Summary: What if Angie decided to get Jackie and Hyde back for the rumors spread at the office- but too late regretted her decision? Meanwhile, Jackie and Hyde are getting the happiness they deserve- but will Angie's ill-thought-out act take it away? Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

Angie Barnett huffed all through her day. Those things Jackie had said! And, Hyde putting her up to it- hiding behind his girlfriend's skirt, was he? Well, she'd show them... _both _of them...

She couldn't be obvious about it, though, because Daddy had just given them the store to manage together, and she had pretended to make nice for that reason- but, it was obvious he was pretending as well... A grin forming across her features as a plan flew into her brain, she grabbed her office phone and began dialing.

The voice on the other end of the phone answered. He sounded silky and sexy... and half asleep, despite the fact that it was four in the afternoon.

_"Lo?"_ the voice answered.

"Kenny? Kenny Beauman?"

_"Yeah... who's this?"_

"It's me- Angie Barnett." she said, twirling the cord around her fingers. "Remember, we dated a little in high-school when I was trying to piss my parents off?"

_"Oh, yeah- rich girl. What's up, rich girl?"_ he asked her.

"I have a job for you maybe..." she said a bit excitedly.

_"Unless it's pimpin' my services out to your bed, I ain't interested. I don't 'do' jobs."_ Kenny said pointedly.

"Ahem, yes, well... this is... similar... but different..." she said, clearing her throat nervously.

Now that she had him on the line, she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do with him...

"Look, I found out I have a half brother, and he and his girlfriend are trying to muscle me out of what's rightfully mine!" she blurted.

_"Okay, baby, keep talkin'..."_ Kenny said, his interest clearly piqued.

"Well, they totally humiliated me today!" she sniffled. "I want to get them back- _bad!_ But, I don't know anything_ about _that, I don't know what to do!"  
_  
"I don't think that's completely true, or you wouldn't have called me... all right, how much are we talkin' here?"  
_  
Angie bit her lip. Was she doing the right thing? Could this come back to bite her in the end? Hmm...

"Is $200 okay?"  


* * *

Angie looked around the store, raising her eyebrows at Steven and his friends, who looked like they'd been burning it out.

"We have _work _to do!" she huffed.

"It's Thanksgiving," Kelso shrugged.

"What?" Angie blinked, confused.

"Some people toast yams, we toast ourselves." he grinned doofily at his perceived cleverness.

"Well, whatever, there's _work_ to be done."

"Hey, I will have you know I was taking a meeting!" Hyde grinned.

"Right... about what?"

"Well, we came up with a name for the store. It was... um... damn, just had it..."

Angie rolled her eyes. "It's _Grooves_, burnouts. Part of a chain."

"Oh. Damnit." Hyde said, and then shrugged.

"You're lucky I'm actually responsible around here." Angie said haughtily. "Now, go set up the bins."

"What bins?"

"The bins I ordered..."

"There are no bins, sis." Hyde said with a head shake.

Angie's eyes went huge, and she nervously began thumbing through her paperwork. "I forgot to order the bins! There are no bins! No bins..." she shrieked, her hand going to her mouth.

"Oh, don't cry... we'll take care of it, okay? This... is what_ I_ do."

Three hours later, Hyde and his friends had come through with milk crates, and even a tale to her father about how that was on purpose, not a mistake on Angie's part. She was actually touched... and had forgotten about the $200 she gave to Kenny last night for their little "plan"...

Jackie was sitting up at the counter, leaning against it, when tall, dark and handsome himself came in the door. Angie's eyes went wide. Kenny hadn't filled her in on details- because he didn't want liabilities- but he zeroed right in on Jackie. Angie had given him a polaroid of Jackie and Hyde that had been snapped at the office. Which, not hard to get Jackie to pose for a picture, and she was there_ all the time_...

Hyde was talking to W.B., who was trying to get Angie's attention.

"Angie, what are you looking at? Do you hear a word I'm saying? I'm trying to tell you how proud I am of you..."

"Jes, but she is scoping out the sexy muscle-man at the counter who is checking out Jackie's ass." Fez blurted.

Hyde frowned, looking over. Jackie looked tired, and was half leaning against the counter, her head in her hand. She didn't even notice the guy, who was very _obvious_ about checking her out, until he spoke to her. She blinked, startled.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you had anything by Hendrix." he said, smiling at her, giving her the up-down.

Jackie shrugged. "Well, that depends..."

"On what?" Kenny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"On who this 'Hendrix' person _is_, because I don't know."

Kenny chuckled. "You're cute, you know that?"

"Well, yeah..." Jackie nodded. "I _do_ have mirrors."

Hyde walked up behind Jackie, putting a possessive arm around her waist.

"I think what you're shopping for is not available, dude." he said flatly, glaring him down.

Kenny's eyebrows went up, but Jackie tried to hide the smile. She _liked_ when her Steven was all jealous and possessive... It was so hot...

"Just came in for a Hendrix album." he said, holding his hands up in faux innocence, though he began leering at Jackie in a more obvious way now, just for spite.

Hyde's jaw set, his hands clenching into fists, but W.B. stepped in front of him. "Steven, I think it's been a long day- why don't you take the rest of the night off?" he suggested, frowning at his son. "I'll help this customer find the album that's... well, two feet in front of him..."

"Right..." Hyde growled, half yanking Jackie out of the store.

Angie bit her lower lip, looking down at the floor as he stomped out. _"What have I done?" _she thought to herself...


	2. Chapter 2

Hyde drove the entire way home in silence. Jackie would look at him, but he wouldn't catch her eye, so she wisely chose not to speak. But, when they stepped into the Foreman kitchen, she threw her arms around his neck, giving him a hot, passionate kiss. He seemed startled for a moment, but very quickly melted into the kiss, his hands clutching tightly to her hips, pressing her against his ever growing need. Jackie pulled back finally with a wide smile.

"I love you, you know that?"

Hyde's mouth quirked. "I love you, too, so let's go downstairs?"

Jackie shook her head. "Why don't I fix you a snack first? Go wait in the den..."

Hyde looked surprised. "Wait... seriously?"

Jackie shrugged. "I can fix sandwiches or scoop ice-cream into a bowl. Besides, if I'm hungry, you must be starving, and we won't enjoy it as much. I'll even sneak you a beer into a cup or something, cause I hear Mr. and Mrs. Foreman watching television in there."

Hyde pulled her into a kiss that made her entirely forget where she was, and then just as suddenly pulled back, walking into the den. When he walked in, Kitty and Red were watching "Three's Company".

"I don't think it's just Jack that's gay." Red said, shaking his head. "Larry and Mr. Furlie are pretty flitty, too. And, to think he was Barney Fife..."

"_None_ of them are gay, Red! I keep telling you- Jack's only pretending so he can live with the girls; it's part of the joke!"

"No, Kitty, the punchline's gonna be when Janet catches them in the closet with each-other." Red said flatly, and Hyde chuckled.

Suddenly, everyone jumped when the sound of breaking ceramic came from the kitchen.

"I'm okay!" came out in Jackie's voice.

Kitty looked at Hyde wide-eyed. "What is she doing?"

"Uh, making me a sandwich?"

"I'd better go help her..." Kitty said, hopping up quickly.

"Kitty, the girl is seventeen years old; she should be able to put together a sandwich." Red said.

"It's Jackie." Kitty said.

"Yes, well, you coddling her isn't going to make her _more_ capable."

Suddenly, from the kitchen, "Mrs. Foreman? Where's your extinguisher?"

"Go." Red said, jerking his thumb towards the kitchen, and Kitty raced in.

Hyde grinned from his chair.

"Hey, I wouldn't be that happy about it- you marry her she's not gonna be able to cook for you without poisoning you, and you're not living here with a wife so that Mrs. Foreman can feed you."

Hyde grinned. "I can cook, that's okay. But she's actually_ trying,_ and I think that's cute."

"You didn't flinch when I mentioned marrying her." Red observed.

Hyde shrugged. "It's gonna happen one day, I just don't want to be pressured on it." Hyde said. "That's the only reason I get squicky about it when she's doing the mentioning. Thinking about the future is too... far out."

"True, but you either want to or you don't, and you're out of high-school now, have a steady job, not in college... women don't want to wait forever on a maybe. Trust me. I know."

Hyde smiled softly.

"Besides, not having to sneak around- and not being naked with that poor girl in my house- would be a plus."

Hyde nodded. This, was true...

"You don't have to do it tomorrow, you just have to find a way to let her know that she's not waiting forever on something that might not come."

"Right... Hey, Mr. Foreman? Can I ask you something?"

"Depends on what it is." Red said noncommittally, eying him warily.

"Well, this guy... he was hitting on Jackie big-time at the record store, and I thought the best route was to throw him out, but W.B. got mad and asked me to go home. Do you think he's gonna fire me?"

"Now, see, that's where you made your first mistake; in that situation you _punch _the son of a bitch. If selling one record is more important than some asshat infringing on your territory, then no wonder W.B. isn't with Edna or Angie's mother anymore..."

Hyde grinned, and Kitty came in with Jackie, looking harried. "Jackie, just because you can make grilled cheese in the toaster oven, doesn't mean you put the skillet in there."

"Right, sorry." Jackie nodded.

"Now, go fix me a kaluah, sweetie."

Jackie bounced over to the wet bar and Kitty handed Hyde a grilled cheese. "I made it." she whispered, kissing his cheek.

Hyde grinned, and crunched on one of his onion chips...

* * *

Angie knocked on Kenny's door. After hearing some shuffling, the door finally opened, and there he was, naked as anything, looking sleepily at her. Angie just brushed past him. "Put some pants on!" she said, throwing some off of the floor at him.

Kenny shrugged, pulling them on.

"Look, I know we had somewhat of a deal-"

"No returns, babydoll. I already used that scratch up."

"Think of it as silence money. Just... whatever you're planning to do, stop."

"I don't know..." Kenny mused. "That girl's hot."

Angie pulled a face. "I think I made a mistake..."

"Then, I think I'm in a position to bargain, because I think I could really fall for this girl..."

"I'm not paying you more money!"

"Then, deal with the consequences of your actions." Kenny shrugged, flopping onto his couch.

Angie got a look of tried patience, but Kenny just kept changing channels with the remote control.

"Sweet, 'Miss Bananna Republic Hawaii' is on!"

Angie rubbed her forehead, something akin to a whine springing forth from her lips...

* * *

Hyde, meanwhile, was sitting behind the counter, waiting for Angie to show up. She was late. The aggravation quickly faded as a smirk paraded itself across Hyde's face.

"Little Miss Perfect and Punctual is late... Heh, heh, heh..."

And, then W.B. came into the building.

"Good morning, Steven." he said cheerfully. "How's business going?"

Hyde shrugged. "Sold a few albums." he said noncommittally.

"Good, good... Is Angie here?"

"Nope, she hasn't shown up yet."

"Huh, that's not like her..." W.B. mused. "Oh, well; better that way anyway. I needed to talk to you a moment alone..."

Hyde's entire frame seized up. "Okay..." he answered finally, in a slightly belligerent tone.

W.B. frowned at him. "Now, Steven... don't be like that about it. I just wanted to apologize about last night."

Hyde looked at him in surprise- no, mild _shock_. "Wait... seriously?"

"Well, it's _not_ good for everyone to associate opening night with some big brawl, and that's what would have happened in that packed madhouse if you would have started swinging at that young man- who, by the way, is about a foot taller than you and built like a brick house."

"Yes, Fez seemed duly impressed." Hyde smirked. "But, douchebag had it comin'."

"And, anyone within three feet could see you about to give it to him." W.B. sighed. "And, while I understand the impulse... Steven... you can't... you can't let your temper get the better of you all the time. I'm trying to help you out here. I know I wasn't there for you before-"

"No, man, _no one_ was there for me except the Foremans." he said with a growl.

"Yes, but I didn't know about you, did I?"

"Pfft, the first time you met me you thought I was after your cash."

W.B. smirked. "Yeah, if you hadn't dramatically stomped out of the room you wouldn't have missed the lecture on manners from Jackie."

Hyde's mouth twitched. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yes- she called me rude, wrong, and told me she couldn't be friends with me."

Hyde grinned. "She never told me any of that."

"Well, I don't think she said it to win brownie points. I think it was honestly she was defending you."

"Which is what I was trying to do last night, man. Mine." he said with a growl.

W.B. grinned. "Yes, well... she's a lucky girl." he said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry m e." Hyde said quietly. "I just gotta save up enough to get her a nice ring, and she's gonna expect me to do more than just open a box and shove it on her finger." he said a bit petulantly.

"Ah. well... Steven, I've been trying to be a father to you now, and I know giving you a job at my chain can't make up for 18 years of not being there... but, I've had four ex-wives."

Hyde arched an eyebrow at him.

"Not all of them took all of their jewelry with them. Angie's Momma- lord, that woman took everything but the nails in the wall."

Hyde chuckled.

"But, there was this one... Cherry... or was it Lorianne? Eh, doesn't matter... either way, one of them _threw_ a two and a half carat diamond ring at me, which I still have in my safe at the office. You wanna go get it?"

"W.B., I think you and I are making huge strides, man..." Hyde teased.

W.B. shook his head, walking Hyde out of the store...


	3. Chapter 3

The heft of the ring in his pocket was threatening to set his hip on fire. He had to tell someone. Donna? Foreman? Well, better than Fez or Kelso...

He walked into Donna's room without knocking. "Gah! Foreman, get a tan!" he said loudly.

Eric quickly dove under the covers to retrieve his boxers, and Donna pulled a pillow over herself. "It's called 'knocking', Hyde!"

Hyde smirked. "Yeah, but I see Jacks forgot something when she dyed you blonde. You could still get 'outed' as a redhead."

From under the covers, Eric started laughing, and Donna started swatting at him.

"Ow, damnit, woman!"

Hyde went into the hallway, laughing. A few minutes later, he knocked on the door.

"Are you two deviants decent yet?" he asked loudly.

From inside, Donna rolled her eyes and opened the door.

"Seriously, though; if you wanted Jackie to dye the other, I'd watch that-"

"Hey! If anyone would be 'watching' it'd be _me_, man!" Eric said, giving him a shove. "And... can I?"

"No!" Donna glared at him, and he shrank back behind Hyde.

"Okay, okay, sorry. Lookit, I need to talk to you two about something important; I need help."

Donna crossed her arms over her chest. "Why should I?" she grumbled.

"Because Jackie is your best friend."

Donna raised her eyebrows, so Hyde pulled the ring out of his pocket.

"Holy crap, look at that rock!" Eric said, grabbing for it.

Hyde yanked it out of his reach, only to have it yanked from his hand by Donna. "It's so sparkly..." she said in a kind of an awestruck tone.

"Hyde... did you knock over a jewelry store?" Eric demanded.

"No!" Hyde huffed. "... W.B. gave it to me to give to her, okay? He had it in his safe."

"Awww... Hyde's getting along with his Daddy..." Eric grinned, speaking in a high-pitched, sing-songy tone as he pinched Hyde's cheeks.

Hyde, aggravated, swatted him away and reached for the ring in Donna's hand.

"Come on, Hyde; let me try it on?"

"Noooo... if Jackie found out _you_ tried it on before _her_? She'd remove my man-parts with a her girl-scout knife."

"Jackie was a girl scout?" Eric asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and she still has the uniform. If she doesn't button the top four buttons, she can get it on..." he smirked.

"She's gained a _little_ height since then, Hyde." Donna said.

"Yeah... the skirt's about to here." he said, indicating that it came mostly over her hips, but that the bottom of her panties hung out of it.

Eric got a goofy expression on his face, and both Hyde and Donna backhanded him- Donna in the gut, Hyde in the nuts. "Stop picturing it!" they said simultaneously.

Eric lay panting on the floor.

"Okay. So, see," Hyde continued, as if nothing had just happened, "I want to do something all romantic... she talks to you, tells you all that fantasy crap of hers..."

"Go buy her a penguior."

Hyde's eyes opened. "What?"

"A penguior. It's this sexy silk nightie with a matching robe like the women all wore in those movies back in the day?"

"Right..." Hyde nodded.

"That's one of her big things. She wanted that for her first time, but, obviously Kelso has the romance of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride."

Hyde pulled a face.

"And, take her to a fancy hotel, order champagne. Put the ring in a glass; she thinks that's the classiest thing _ever_."

Hyde nodded again.

"Oh, and a banner!"

"A... banner?" Eric asked incredulously as he pulled himself painfully up.

"Yeah, 'Jackie and Hyde Forever'." she nodded. "She thinks Banners are super-awesome; must from all the ones she had to make being a cheerleader..."

"Right... you come help me." Hyde said, taking Donna by the wrist and dragging her out of the room...

Over an hour later, Donna was painting the banner in the hotel room Hyde had rented out, and Hyde walked into the lingerie store, where he had called Angie to meet him.

"Okay, we agreed to get along better, but, we're _brother and sister_, Steven- meeting at a lingerie store is _weird_." she said delicately.

Hyde rolled his eyes. "I need help finding a penguior for Jackie, okay? It's an important night."

"Oh..." Angie flushed. "Right..."

Hyde walked in, looking uncomfy.

"I just ask you to help because you're my sister, and Donna's busy with the other part."

Angie nodded. "Sure, Steven, I'd be glad to..." she said quickly. _"It'd make me feel better for what I've done..."_ she thought to herself.

* * *

~When I need you  
I just close my eyes and I'm with you  
And all that I so wanna give you  
It's only a heartbeat away

When I need love  
I hold out my hands and I touch love  
I never knew there was so much love  
Keeping me warm night and day~

When Hyde led Jackie into their hotel room, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, and she made this happy little gaspy noise.

"Oh, Steven, a _banner_!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Hyde smiled, patting her butt gently.

"Look on the bed; got a present for you."

Jackie's eyes popped as she raced away from him towards the bed, to the large box with a bow, haphazardly ripping the paper off. Hyde grinned. Jackie pulled the penguior out and her eyes welled up with tears.

Hyde frowned worriedly. "You don't like it?"

"What? Oh, no! Steven, I do! This is the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me- done for me!" she said, pulling him into a frantic kiss.

Hyde grunted slightly as he collided with her small body on the bed, but willed himself to pull back- even though his body didn't want him to.

"Jackie..." he gasped out, "go put that on, so I can take it offa you?" he said with a grin.

Jackie nodded, bouncing happily to the bathroom, and Hyde rushed to the phone, dialing up room service...

~Miles and miles of empty space in between us  
The telephone can't take the place of your smile  
But you know I won't be travelin' forever  
It's cold out but hold out and do I like I do

When I need you  
I just close my eyes and I'm with you  
And all that I so wanna give you babe  
It's only a heartbeat away~

Hyde's heart leapt up in his chest as he looked at her; she was so beautiful, and all his... the first person in his life who had ever belonged to him, and he needed her to know that _he_ belonged to _her_, too...

He walked over, placing his hands gently on her hips. "You are so gorgeous..." he said huskily, and she grinned up at him, her arms twining around his neck. Instinctively, he lifted her up into his arms, carrying her towards the bed.

"I feel just like Scarlett O'Hara..." she whispered in his ear.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and he lay her down gently. "Wait there; don't move." he ordered, and opened the door.

Jackie looked perplexed, but it was room service, with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Jackie's eyes popped as Hyde gave the guy a tip and walked the tray over towards the bed.

"Ohhhh, Steven... champagne..."

Hyde nodded, turning his back to her so that the tray was effectively blocked as he popped the cork and poured the first two glasses, slipping the large ring into one of them. He handed her a glass, and she tipped it up, pounding it back faster than he'd seen any of the boys pound a beer. His eyes popped wide.

"Jackie, wait-"

And, she started gasping and choking.

~It's not easy when the road is your driver  
Honey that's a heavy load that we bear  
But you know I won't be traveling a lifetime  
It's cold out but hold out and do like I do

Oh, I need you~

"Shit, shit, shit..." Hyde muttered, walking up behind her to help her get the large ring out of her throat.

She coughed, sputtered, and spit it out onto the bed, finally. Red faced and teary eyed, she dove for it.

"Oh, Steven... it's _huge_!" she exclaimed in a croaky wheeze.

"Yes..." Hyde nodded, stroking her hair gently, looking at her with worry deep in his blue-green eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Put it on me!" she demanded, sticking her hand out.

Hyde smiled, picking it up delicately and wiping it on the bottom of his shirt before putting it on her finger.

Jackie held her hand up to the light. "This is what I think it is, right? You're asking me to marry you?"

"Yes... but I was only hoping to propose, not make an attempt on your life. I forgot you chug like a dude sometimes."

Jackie gave him the evil-eye. "I'm delicate and _ladylike_." she warned.

Hyde laughed. "Yes, dear."

"And, by the way: Yes, I want to be Mrs. Steven Hyde."

~When I need love  
I hold out my hands and I touch love  
I never knew there was so much love  
Keeping me warm night and day

When I need you  
Just close my eyes  
And you're right here by my side  
Keeping me warm night and day~

Later that night, Jackie woke up to Hyde's gentle snoring, his strong arm around her. She was thirsty and slightly headachey, and wasn't going to drink "bathroom water" from a dixie cup. She pulled the robe of her new sexy peach-colored penguior back on and cinched it tightly around her, grabbing some quarters off the dresser as she left the room, and walked towards the soda machine she'd seen in the hallway.

She looked critically over the choices, finally settling on a cream soda, and bent down to get it, when she felt a hand on her back...

~I just hold out my hands  
I just hold out my hand  
And I'm with you darlin'  
Yes, I'm with you darlin'  
All I wanna give you  
It's only a heartbeat away

Oh I need you darling...~


	4. Chapter 4

Jackie started, turning around quickly. "Hey, what do you think- Oh, Steven!" she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

Hyde looked at her with a raised eyebrow, putting an arm around her waist. "You okay?" he frowned.

"Sorry, just, you startled me. It's the middle of the night in a strange hotel, I thought you were still asleep..." she explained.

Hyde nodded. "I was, but then I woke up and you weren't there." he said. "Like you said... strange hotel, middle of the night... you shouldn't be going out by yourself in just... _that_, okay?"

Jackie smiled, scrunching her face up slightly and kissed his cheek. "Yes, Puddin' Pop."

And, she yelped as Hyde threw her over his shoulder and smacked her on the butt lightly. "Steven, what-"

"Me Tarzan, you hot." he said in a grunting, caveman tone.

Jackie giggled, her hands sliding down his undershirt clad-back as he raced her back to the hotel room...

* * *

The next morning, Hyde woke up to hear Jackie in the shower, singing an off-key version of "Dancing Queen". He cringed slightly, chuckling with affection. But, then, he saw the envelope slide under the door. He squinted at it, walking over hesitantly, hoping this wasn't the hotel's subtle way of telling him he owed more on the bill than he'd already paid.

He picked it up, frowning when he saw Jackie in the black and white 8x10s, wearing her nightgown in the hallway of the hotel. He saw a picture of himself, holding her over his shoulder, and then another... of them in the throes of passion from last night... Four very provocative pictures from that time followed.

Confused, and more than a little nervous now, Hyde shoved the pictures back into the envelope, and folded the envelope, shoving them into the back pocket of his jeans.

"Jacks! We gotta check out!" Hyde called.

Jackie walked out, not having bothered with a towel, her hair full of suds. "Steven, I'm taking a shower..."

"Get back in there before you get seen!" he ordered, shooing her into the shower.

Jackie frowned. "Seen? Steven, we're in a _room_..."

"Yeah, and... I've, uh, heard sometimes perverts like to sneak hidden cameras in. Freakin' bellboys..."

Jackie shook her head, rinsing the soap out of her hair. "You are being silly."

"Stop arguing with me and hurry up so we can get outta here? Uh... don't you want to shove your rock in everybody's face and tell 'em you're getting married?"

"Ooooh! Yes, I _do_!" she said happily from the shower.

Hyde grinned. "Good, good..."

When they checked out, Hyde dropped Jackie off at home so she could tell her mother and make calls or drive to show whomever else she pleased. Hyde, on the other hand, called a meeting at his record store.

"Why are we all here, Hyde?" Eric asked curiously.

"Well, Foreman, you're going to have to take a break from your doing nothing and help me do some detective work."

"Sweet! Like the Hardy Boys!" Eric said with a glint in his eye. "I call Frank!"

"First of all, Foreman; the Hardy boys were lame, so,_ no_." Hyde said. "... and, Frank was the older, cooler brother who was dating the hottie. So that'd be _me_."

Eric pouted slightly for a moment. "Wait... Frank was dating the blonde! _Joe_ had the brunette! And... hello, dating the hottest blonde in Point Place."

"Dyed blonde, and- and we're not having this conversation right now!" Hyde huffed. "I have an issue that I need to solve without Jackie knowing about it. So... no telling Donna."

Eric nodded. "Right, a boys mission... I like it."

"Don't girl it up, Foreman."

Kelso eyed him. "You have an 'issue' that you don't want the girls to know about, and you need our help to do some 'detective' work?"

"Well... yes."

"If this issue is about stepping out on Jackie and getting something extra, I know where you can go to take care of that quietly-"

Hyde made a disgusted face, and then punched Kelso in the arm three times.

"Ow! Damnit, Hyde, I'm an officer of the law now! You need to treat me with some respect!"

"You accused me of hiding an STD from my fiance`- and, in fact, admitted to exposing _her_ to some without her _knowledge_!"

Kelso laughed goofily. "Well... yeah..."

Hyde reached out and punched him in the same spot in the arm a couple of more times.

Kelso rubbed his arm. "Okay, fine..."

"Wait, jou just said 'fiance`', Hyde." Fez said, eying him.

"Yeah, I figured Foreman would have told you."

Kelso and Fez looked at Eric.

"Well, you guys didn't react so well when I asked Donna, so I figured I'd wait and let you put the helmet on him."

"You and Donna were in high-school still." Kelso reminded. "Besides, Hyde and Jackie are a better couple, I've told you that- and this is coming from someone who used to pleasure her endlessly."

"Stop_ saying_ that! They are _not_!" Eric whined, giving a little foot-stomp.

"And, Kelso, she called you 'her little minute man'." Fez said pointedly.

Kelso nodded. "Yeah! Like... like the British army from back in the day!"

"Yes, because Jackie's _such _a history buff..." Eric smirked, amused. "We all _know_ why she called you that, man..."

Hyde and Fez nodded at Kelso, who huffed and kicked at the counter like a toddler about to have a tantrum. "Well... fine!"

"Can we get off Kelso's inadequacies- funny as they are- long enough to discuss my problem here?"

"Sure, man, what's the problem?" Leo asked, popping up from behind the counter.

Hyde started. "Geesh, Leo, man, you _gotta_ stop sleeping underneath the counter, dude!" he said, shaking his head, and pulled the envelope out of his pocket. "Okay, we were in the hotel, and someone sent me these pictures under the door..."

He pulled them out, and the guys all started looking. "See, someone was watching us, man. It's creepy... one or both of us is being stalked, 'cause it's not like we're scared for people to find out we're having sex and could be blackmailed about it; we're _engaged_."

"Man... I didn't realize they were so symmetrical..." Eric said. "Donna's are nice, but one's bigger than the other..."

Fez breathed heavily. "And the shape of her-"

"And, that's enough looking at _that_." Hyde said firmly, yanking the pictures away and folding them up.


	5. Chapter 5

When Hyde and Eric walked back into the house, Kitty threw confetti at Hyde and blew a New Year's Eve Horn.

"_Con_-gratulations, Steven!" she said happily, and laughed her little laugh. "We thought you'd've been home a bit earlier, so we went ahead and opened the champagne... she explained, and Red lifted up a glass to show.

Jackie and Donna smiled at him from the table, and Bob came over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, you all are making a _party_ for him?" Eric asked incredulously. "When Donna and I got engaged, you _fired_me from my_ job_, and _blacklisted _me at other places! You threw _fits_!"

"Well, yes, but we knew you and Donna weren't ready yet." Kitty said airily.

"And, we were right, stick-boy; you left her at the alter, leaving me with two tons of food and a $5,000 bill for a wedding that never _happened_!" Bob chimed in.

"Oh..." Eric winced. "Right... Um... sorry?"

Bob growled at him and Eric shrank back behind Donna, who patted his hand on her shoulder.

"Okay! Ha ha ha ha..." Kitty said, laughing uncomfortably, "Let's have more champagne, celebrate..."

"It's so nice that I'm going to have a son-in-law... with a job, no less!" Pam said happily. "I mean, granted, you're... entry level..." she said a bit distastefully.

"Mom! He _manages_ his own _store_!"

"Oh! Really?"

"_Yes_." Jackie hissed.

"So... you're able to buy my daughter a house?"

Jackie flushed, looking annoyed. "Mom, _I _don't have a job yet."

"Well, you will; housewife is full time, darling." Pam soothed. "Besides, who's going to take care of the babies if you work?"

Jackie and Hyde both looked like deer caught in the headlights.

"_Babies_?" they both yelled out.

"Well, yes... that _is_ what happens when one gets married..."

"But, I'll get _fat_! And... what if I was horrible at it?" Jackie asked, her lower lip trembling.

Everyone in the room looked around uncomfortably, the tone quickly changing in the room. But, Hyde sighed, dropping down in front of her.

"Relax, doll; we should get used to being married, living together full time before we bring a kid into the mix too fast. Eventually, yeah, but not now. And, by the time we do, you'll be a great mom. Because it'll be _our_kid, not someone else's."

Jackie smiled tearfully at Hyde. "Really, Steven?"

Hyde nodded seriously. "Yes."

"What about the getting fat part?"

"Ahem, well... ah..."

"Steven!"

Hyde grinned, brushing her hair gently back from her face. "There are aerobic classes at the Y, okay? You'll be fine."

Jackie launched herself into his lap, knocking him off balance since he was squatting on the floor, kissing him fully.

"Awwww..." went around the room.

But, the envelope got pushed out of his back pocket, and Eric dove to retrieve it.

"What's that?" Kitty asked Eric curiously.

"It's... nothing I gotta go." he said quickly, running out of the house like he was on fire, and then spinning his car out of the drive.

Hyde shook his head. "Moron..." He muttered.

Jackie looked at him curiously, and Hyde kissed her forehead. "That's just Eric being Eric, don't worry about it."

Jackie nodded, but in the back of her mind, she did wonder...

Later that night, Eric came back into the basement.

"Hey, Hyde." he said, looking a bit sheepish.

"Yeah, hey. Your parents think you've gone wackadoodle. Not that _that's _anything new."

Eric shrugged, flopping onto the couch and handed Hyde the envelope.

"Thanks for jumping on the grenade for me though, man. Really."

"You should just tell Jackie."

"Are you kidding? She'd flip out."

"Yeah, cause that's not gonna happen when she finds out you've been holding out on her..." Eric said sarcastically.

Hyde walked to where he kept the matches and grabbed an ashtray, putting the envelope on top. "Burn, baby, burn." he said, lighting it up. "Solves that problem."

Eric watched the fire spark out, and then Hyde went to the back, getting some lighter fluid to help it along before lighting it up again.

"It doesn't 'solve' it, you know. Some pervo is still stalking one or the other of you. Maybe both." Eric said seriously. "You need to find out who- and I'm not so sure we can figure this out alone. Where is Jackie, anyway?"

"Sleepover with Donna."

"Great, Hyde, drag my girl into this..." Eric started huffily.

"Pfft, what are you talking about? If anyone could protect Jackie- besides _me_, that is- it'd be Donna. Donna could beat up most guys."

"Okay, fine... But, Hyde... we need to find out who and why. It's weird, man. I mean, who has Jackie even dated besides Kelso?

Hyde frowned thoughtfully. "I dunno... I mean there was... _Chip_..." he said distastefully.

"Yes, yes, Chip... anyone else? I mean, there was a seven or eight month period there where she didn't date Kelso or you, and Chip had just shown out of the woodwork, likely to make you jealous... For all we know, she dated a lot of guys we didn't know about."

Hyde frowned at him. "What?"

"Well, yeah, I mean... girl like Jackie doesn't stay lonely that long..."

"What the hell do you mean, 'a girl like Jackie'?"

"Uh... look, an alien!" he said, and began running up the stairs...


	6. Chapter 6

Hyde leaned against the couch, rubbing his forehead. What Eric had said was starting to get to him. It probably wasn't fair to flat out _ask_ Jackie how many dudes she'd dated- they weren't together at the time- but...

He couldn't help it. He hopped up and walked out to the driveway and across to the Pinciotti's living room, where Jackie and Donna were sitting on the floor watching _Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids_, looking kind of bored and listless.

"You guys having special brownies without me?" he asked with a grin, smiling wider when Jackie hopped up and threw her arms around his neck.

"Hi, Steven!"

"Hey, Hyde." Donna said, shaking her head. "We are not, actually- we're bored. There's nothing on TV, nothing to _do_ in this town..."

Hyde walked over to the couch, his arm still around Jackie's waist, and yanked her into his lap. "Well, for one thing... your nighties are all wrong for a slumber party..." he said in mock seriousness, shaking his head at them. "Should be much skimpier..."

Donna snorted, reaching up from the floor and punching him in the leg.

Hyde chuckled, trying to hide the wince- Donna was stronger than she realized sometimes.

"Well, no wonder you're bored here; you don't know how to have a slumber party properly... Come on... where's the stripped-to-your-panties tickle fights? If dirty movies have taught me anything, _that's_ what you're supposed to be doing..."

Jackie took a pillow and swatted at his face, starting to get up. Hyde, laughing by now, moved his hands to stop her.

"Sorry... I'm kidding... Unless you'd be into that-"

Both girls gave him a dirty glare.

"Okay, yes, definitely was kidding." he grinned, adjusting his glasses back with a satisfied smirk.

Jackie rolled her eyes at her fiancée, and Donna made a noise in the back of her throat.

"Ahem... well... I was bored." he admitted. "Miss you."

Jackie gave him a melty smile. "Awww..." she said, snuggling into his neck.

"That's so cute.. and gross, so stop it before I get the spray bottle again."

Jackie stuck her tongue out at Donna and lay her head on Hyde's shoulder. Hyde smirked, stroking her hair gently.

"So... I was going to wait till tomorrow, but I have a surprise for you." Jackie said, running her finger over his clavicle.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, Donna got me an interview at the station, because one of the DJs is quitting; they_ loved _me! Well, duh, who _wouldn't_, but... I got the job!" she said excitedly, sitting up and clapping her hands a bit.

Hyde's eyebrows went up. "Seriously? A DJ?"

Jackie nodded. "It's not television, but, it's a start, right?"

"I can't believe you got the better time slot than me, too." Donna groused. "I've got seniority."

"You're already a DJ. You're Hot Donna." Hyde reminded.

"Yes, but Jackie got a better time slot." Donna pouted.

"Jerry Thunder liked me." Jackie shrugged.

"You're not gonna have to do appearances and photos like Donna does for the Hot Donna gig, are you?"

Jackie suddenly gasped, and Hyde looked at her. "Ooooh, do you think I will?"

"I don't know, Jackie..." Donna hedged.

"Well, why wouldn't I? I mean, they have _you_ do it."

Donna narrowed her eyes. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Jackie opened her mouth, and Hyde put his hand over it, shaking his head furiously at her. Jackie's eyes went wide, and then she nodded, and Hyde took his hand off. "Just that... I'm a girl too?"

"Right..." Donna said.

"Hey, who wants brownies?"


	7. Chapter 7

"So... Steven... things are going good for you and Jackie, huh?" Angie asked him suddenly, out of the blue the next morning at work.

Hyde nodded, quirking an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, yeah; she's making wedding plans and such. I'll let her handle all that- only thing I have to do is get measured for a tux and then show up with it on." he said. "Not looking forward to some pervo measuring my package, but, hey, could be worse. Could've ended up with Donna... who would've made me _do_ stuff every step of the way with her."

"Right... well... it's good you're happy." she said quickly, and turned back to her work.

Hyde eyed her. "You're acting weird, Ang."

"Weird? Am I?"

"Yes, and repeating what I say in the form of a question, with your voice getting all high? Doesn't help you sound innocent." he said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Innocent? Ahem... that is... I didn't do anything, so I don't have anything to try to 'sound' innocent _about_!"

"Geez, defensive much?"

Angie sighed. "You're right... Steven... there's something I have to tell you..." Angie began, but then Donna came barreling in, followed by the rest of the guys.

"Where the hell is Jackie, Hyde?"

Hyde frowned. "What?"

"Her first broadcast was today. She never got on air!"

"Wait... what now?" Hyde asked, worry starting to claw at his chest like icy fingernails.

"She was there, Jerry Thunder offered her coffee, and she said, 'No, I hate coffee; besides it makes your breath smell like something died in a gym sock'..."

Hyde moved his hand impatiently. "Come on, Donna; _point _of the story..." he barked out.

"Right; sorry..." Donna said, taking a breath. "_Any_way, she asked if I'd go get her a Tab." Donna said. "And, then told me to hurry 'cause she was about to go on. I was gonna tell her I wasn't her damn secretary, but Jerry nudged me out the booth to go get it and him a Fresca."

Hyde gave her an incredulous look.

"I came back and she wasn't in the booth!" Donna clarified, finally. "She wasn't there, we couldn't find her... Jerry went on for her. It looks bad, man. It makes me look bad because I freaking recommended her-"

"Goddamnit, is that your only problem here?" Hyde snapped, causing Donna to look at him, hurt. "She's_missing_, and you care about how that makes _you_ look?"

"Hyde... no... it's... she probably just got stage fright and split-"

"Jackie? Stage fright? Are you freaking _serious_? She's a cheerleader, a pageant girl! Come on!"

Donna bit her lip. "Yeah... you're right..." she sighed. "It really wouldn't be like her to mess up an opportunity for minuscule small town fame... I guess I was just jealous and my judgment was clouded..."

"Yeah, still not about _you_, Donna." Eric said quietly. "Don't hit me?"

"Kelso, you're a cop- sorta- how long does it take to file a missing person's report?"

Kelso scratched his head. "Dunno... but, Hyde, Jackie's not missing... we just don't know where she _is_..."

Hyde swatted the back of his head. "And, they let you be a cop? Seriously?"

"I know, right?" Kelso said with a goofy grin. "Getting by on your looks _rules_..."

Hyde growled at him.

"Um... Steven..." Angie said meekly from behind him.

"Not now, Angie!" Hyde snapped. "We gotta find Jacks... why don't they have little portable phones chicks can carry in their purses?" Hyde groused. "Jackie'd probably have four of them..." he muttered, stomping out the door...


	8. Chapter 8

It had been three days since Jackie went missing. The first place Hyde had gone was her mother's, but all he found was a note from Pam. "Darling, gone on vacay- be back... sometime." Hyde had shaken his head and had his friends fanned out with walkie-talkies, trying to find her. But, nothing...

Angie walked into the Foreman's kitchen, where Kitty was trying to coax Hyde to eat.

"But, Steven... you love my Sweedish Pancakes..." she pleaded. "You have to keep your strength up..."

"Not hungry." he muttered.

"Tang?" she offered.

Hyde shook his head.

"Steven..." Angie sighed.

She'd been scared to admit any possible culpability in this. Though, she'd even gone to Kenny's apartment to end things or at least find out the truth- and, as she feared, he wasn't there. She swallowed, taking a deep breath, and let it out slowly before sitting down next to him, placing gentle hands on his arm.

"Steven... I am so, so sorry..." she said, blinking back tears. "It's all my fault..."

Hyde turned slowly towards her. "What did you just say?"

"Remember a couple of weeks ago, when the store opened, and that guy was coming onto Jackie in the store?"

Hyde narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes..." he said, his tone suspicious and almost dangerous.

Angie backed up a bit. "Well... you see..." she began, "I paid him to do that."

"You _what_?" Hyde yelled, hopping up.

Angie flinched. "I was mad at you!" she blurted. "So... I got one of my looser exes to flirt with Jackie at the store opening. I knew she'd be there, and I figured either you two would have a fight, or you'd get into a fight and fall off Daddy's 'good boy' list." she admitted, looking down at her hands on the table. "I'm sorry, all right? I really, really am... but that's all I paid him for, I swear! I had changed my mind before he got there, but it was too late by then!"

Hyde ran a hand over his face, clearly trying to contain his anger. Laurie, Eric and Kitty watched the scene, wide-eyed.

"And, then, I went to his apartment the next day, to tell him not to do anything else. He said he would need more money for that, because he found her interesting, so I paid him another three hundred, honest!" Angie sobbed. "I guess it wasn't enough..."

"You don't hit your sister, you can't hit your sister..." Hyde was muttering to himself, though loudly enough everyone in the room heard.

Angie's head dropped into her hands, sobbing pitifully, but Kitty walked over, snapping her fingers in front of her eyes.

"Oh, can the pity party!" she snapped. "_Who_ is this man, and _where_ is he _now_?" Kitty demanded.

"His... his name is Kenny Beauman..." Angie snuffled, startled. "But, I don't know where he is; I went to his apartment and he... he had cleared out..."

"And, you're just _now_ telling everyone?" Kitty demanded.

"I was _scared_!"

Kitty slapped the girl across the face, hard, shocking everyone. "What? She's not _my_ sister..."

"Okay, I'm gonna go get mom a little yellow pill..." Eric said, leading her out of the room.

"Yes, yes and some schnapps, Eric..." Kitty was saying as he lead her out of the room.

Laurie was laughing. "Damn... that was awesome... Go Mom!"

Hyde grabbed Angie by the shoulders, lifting her out of her chair, and she went limp.

"Stop that; I'm not gonna hit you." Hyde said. "Really, really want to... but I won't. You need to come with me to the police department, tell them what you told me..."

"But, Steven-"

"Now."


	9. Chapter 9

Hyde walked into the station with Angie, muttering under his breath.

"Can't freaking _believe_ I'm trusting the damn police, man..."

"Because they arrested you before?" asked a voice from behind him.

Hyde turned around sharply. "Fez?"

Fez waved. "Sugar Daddy?" he offered, pulling one out of his pocket.

"Uh... maybe later... what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Kelso to get off shift so he can take me for ice-cream."

"And that, _that_ is exactly why I don't trust cops. They'll hire_ Kelso_. They'll give a _gun _to _Kelso_. Clearly they aren't playing with a full deck."

"Cadet Kelso hasn't graduated past Pepper Spray yet." said a very large Sergeant behind him.

"You let him touch a flare gun, dude." Hyde reminded.

The Sergeant ran a hand over his face. "Just... what the hell do you want?"

"One of your artist dudes to take a sketch from her description." Hyde said. "She knows who kidnapped my girlfriend. Name and all."

The Sergeant's eyebrows went up to his non-existent hairline. "Come this way, Miss..."

W.B. came barreling into the police station about then, walking over to Hyde. "Okay, Mrs. Foreman called me- and that woman sounded like twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag. What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"Daddy!" Angie said, rushing to his arms.

"No, no, no!" Hyde said, pushing her back. "_Go_ with the cop and tell them what this guy looks like so they can find him, 'cause I don't know how to!"

W.B. looked between his children. "What am I missing here? Why would Angie know what the guy looks like? Honey, did you witness the kidnapping and were afraid to tell the police?"

Angie shook her head. "Of course not, Daddy! I would've told!"

"No, you wouldn't have!" Hyde shot back. "It took you this long to admit your part in it!"

"I didn't _want_ this to happen- I had no _clue_ this would happen when I paid him to flirt with her! I was just mad at you both and thought a fight between you would even the score."

"Angela Clorinda Barnett!" W.B. exclaimed, shocked.

"Clorinda? Seriously?" Fez asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"It was her grandmother's n- it doesn't matter!" W.B. huffed.

Angie started to cry. "I didn't know this would happen, I _swear_ it!" she sobbed.

W.B. melted; he never could stand to see his little girl cry...

"Oh, I know that, Angie..." he sighed, putting his arms around her, albeit a bit awkwardly. "But, you have to know what you did was wrong."

"I do... but honest, I only paid him to flirt with her once, and then I paid him again to leave them alone 'cause I felt guilty- and didn't wanna get caught."

W.B. sighed.

"If you had just 'fessed up to _me_, I could've taken _care_ of it." Hyde growled at her.

"You would've been mad..." Angie hedged.

"Mad? Hell yes I would've been mad! I would've been over the freakin' moon _pissed_, like I am now! But, I would've gotten over it- if Jackie's not okay, I won't, I promise you that. Now, stop wasting time and fishing for sympathy you don't deserve, and go tell them how to find this son of a bitch." he spat.

W.B., unsure of what to do, patted his son on the arm, and kept his other arm around his daughter, leading her to the sketch artist...


	10. Chapter 10

"Son, I have two cops and an A.P.B. out- back off." The Sergeant told Hyde.

"What about her?" he asked, gesturing to Angie. "Does she get arrested as an accessory or something?"

"Hey!" Angie shrilled.

"No... she didn't help kidnap her..."

"But, it's her_ fault_..."

"Son, the most I can do is use a loophole to get her for solicitation, since she paid the man to flirt with and possibly sleep with the girl." he said tiredly.

"Okay, do that."

"Steven..." W.B. sighed.

"You're just gonna let her get by with it? That's her whole problem; you let her get by with everything! She deserves some punishment other than this nancy idea of _guilt_, which for all we know she's _faking_."

Angie's lower lip quivered, but Fez walked over and whispered in Hyde's ear. Hyde swore, and grabbed Angie by the hand. "Come on," he said to her, "let's go for a drive."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea, you're still mad-"

"You want me to get over it? You come on." he said, and Angie followed him, Fez and Kelso out the door.

W.B. looked at Kelso's C.O.

"Best you let those two work it out themselves." he advised. "I've got teenagers of my own, and they have never gotten into mess like this, but... trust me, you'll do better not to play monkey in the middle."

W.B. nodded, rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

Meanwhile, driving around in a police cruiser so they didn't have to obey the traffic laws, Hyde and the others had stopped to pick up Eric.  
"Hyde, you should really let me drive, man." Kelso whined. "_I'm_ the cop."

Hyde growled at him and he shrunk back.

"This seems like a pointless waste of gas." Eric observed. "I mean, we don't know where to look."

"That's why we have Angie here. She knows Kenny. And, stop with the teary-eyed chip on your shoulder, just tell me what you know."

Angie sighed.

"Okay, fine. His grandmother has a house on the corner of Waverly and Bleeker." she offered. "It's not like he'd take her out to play pool or something. I don't_ know_ alot about him or his friends, but, I know that he used to like Charlie's."

"Charlie's? Man, that's a rough joint..." Eric said with a low whistle.

"Oh, what do you know, Foreman? You've never even been _in _there..."

"_Because_ it's a rough joint!" Eric blurted.

Hyde rolled his eyes, pulling out to where Angie had told him the grandmother lived. "We'll try here first." he said. "Which house?" he asked, looking at the dilapidated neighborhood, very similar to the neighborhood he himself had lived in before Edna split and the Foreman's took him in.

"The one that's kind of pink and blue and gray." she said softly.

Hyde pulled off to the side of the yard.

"Okay, you stay here." he ordered to Angie. "You guys follow my lead, and shut up. Let me do all the talking."

Hyde knocked on the door. No one answered.

"Hyde, the kidnapper isn't just gonna come to the door and say, 'hey, she's tied up in the basement'." Fez pointed out.

"Well, maybe not, but I'm not kicking the door in on some old lady's house if I'm _wrong_." Hyde ground out.

Still no one had answered the door, so Hyde tried the knob. It was locked, so he walked around to the back.

"Look all around; check doors, windows, see if there's another way in." he said, and the boys surrounded the house.

Finally, Hyde found a window that wasn't locked, and slipped inside. He looked around the empty house, calling out.

"Jackie! Jacks, are you here?"

"Steven!" he heard from a back room, and started racing towards the beautiful sound.

"Steven, hurry, please..."

Hyde tried the door, but it was locked, so he kicked it open, and there she was, her delicate wrists and ankles cuffed to the bed. He raced over, gathering her into his arms, raining kisses all over her face.

"You saved me... you came for me..." she smiled.

"Of course I would... I haven't slept... I've been scared to death..."

He felt rather than saw the boys behind him and reached his hand back towards Kelso.

"You got cuff keys on ya?"

"Yes. I'm not allowed to carry handcuffs anymore, but-"

"Just gimme." he said, snatching them and unlocking her from her bonds.

Jackie's arms went tight around his neck, and he held her just as tight, resting his face in her hair, his cheek against hers. Meanwhile, Eric took the key from him and unlocked her ankles, and Hyde finally pulled back a little to look into her face.

"Guys, give us a minute, and keep lookout." he said, stroking her hair gently as he stared into her beautiful face, which was slightly bruised.

The boys went out of the room into the hallway, shutting the door behind them.

"Did he hurt you?"

Jackie looked down, her eyes no longer wanting to meet his, but Hyde tilted her chin up gently with his hand.

"_Jackie_. Did he hurt you?"

Jackie blinked back tears, but shook her head. "No... he scared me, he got a little gropey...but he didn't..." she said, swallowing hard.

Hyde pulled her closer, relief flooding through his frame, and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her out of the room...


	11. Chapter 11

"Steven, get me out of here..." Jackie said, clinging tightly to him.

Hyde nodded. "We're going, babe, I promise..." he said, looking around.

In one way, he wished the guy would show up so he could give him what he had coming, but, he didn't want Jackie further frightened or upset, so maybe it was better to just leave for now. Besides, guy probably wouldn't come in with the cop car in the middle of the yard...

The guys climbed into the car, Jackie still in Hyde's arms. Angie looked up from the backseat. "Oh, thank goodness you're okay-"

"No talking from you right now." Hyde warned. "I mean it, shut up."

Jackie snuggled into Hyde's chest, and he stroked her hair and back gently as Kelso put the car into drive, reaching for the C.B. Radio.

"Man, what are you doing?" Hyde demanded.

"I have to call it in, Hyde. It's my job." Kelso reminded. "This is Cadet Micheal Kelso calling in... Okay, that A.P.B. on Jackie Burkhardt has been taken care of- vic has been found, repeat, vic has been found."

"Who the hell is 'Vic'?" Jackie demanded.

"Oh, it's police shorthand for 'victim'- ow! I'm _driving_, Hyde!"

The radio suddenly crackled to life. "Yo, Mikey, you found the girl, what about the suspect?"

"Who's that?" Fez asked curiously.

"That's just Kelly; they put him on the hunt." Kelso explained before pressing the button again. "Suspect Kenny Beauman is still at large- there was no sight of him." Kelso said in his 'cop' voice, putting the radio down with a doofy grin. "This kicks _so_ much ass; I'm _so_ Burt Reynolds right now!"

"Nu-uh; you're Smokey 'cause... you're a cop." Eric said. "_I_ get to be Bandit."

"You? Why you?" Fez demanded. "I'm more Bandit than you; you can't even grow facial hair!"

"Everyone shut up with this stupid argument and drive us home!" Hyde snapped. "Besides... I'm way more Bandit than any of you." he said with a slight twitch of his mouth.

At this time, the radio crackled to life once again.

"Mikey, drive the girl to the station house; she has to give a statement and get any possible injuries documented."

"Can do; thanks Kelly." Kelso nodded.

Jackie ran her hand over Hyde's scruffy cheek. "You haven't shaved..."

Hyde shrugged. In truth, he hadn't changed clothes, hadn't slept at all, barely had eaten...

"Let's worry about you right now, okay, Doll?"

_  
Kitty walked into the basement where Hyde's room was a few hours later, and turned and walked out just as quickly, leaving a plate of fresh-baked cookies and glasses of milk right next to it on the small nightstand table near the bed. Jackie was lying underneath Hyde's arm, her left arm wrapped in an ace bandage and in a sling. Both were dead to the world asleep.

Suddenly, a voice near her ear made her start.

"Are there any cookies left, Mrs. Kitty?"

"Oh, yes, Fez... right upstairs in the kitchen." she nodded. "You kids go help yourselves."

"Sweet! Cookies!" Kelso said, racing Fez up the stairs.

Kitty shook her head with a light smile. Some things never changed...

"You two want any cookies?" she asked Eric and Donna, who hadn't moved from the couch.

"Uh, we'll be up in a minute, Mom, yeah. Thanks." Eric nodded.

"Okay, well, I'd hurry before Fez and Micheal got to them all." she warned, going upstairs herself.

Eric looked over at Donna. "I can't believe all this happened... and the dude's still out there..."

"I just feel so awful... I mean, I brought her up there, and she was just easy prey for him. I should've looked after her..."

"Donna..." Eric sighed, playing with her fingers gently, "you couldn't have known..."

"No, but I feel awful because my first thoughts were that she ditched out on me." Donna admitted. "I was mad at her..." she said guiltily, blinking a bit. "She could've died, Eric... or _worse_... and she's my best friend."

Eric sighed, pulling Donna close to him with one arm. "She didn't. She's okay. And, if it makes you feel better, Hyde's probably not gonna let her out of his sight like..._ ever _again?"

"He'll get over that eventually." Donna smiled.

"I dunno, maybe..." Eric said doubtfully. "He's at least gonna be like this till that dude's caught... I wonder how he got her, anyway?"

"Well, before she passed out from the pain pill your Mom gave her, she said one minute she was looking around the booth, familiarizing herself with everything, and the next she felt this wet rag on her face, and everything went hazy and then black. It's so easy for someone just to get into a place like that... it's was so easy for him to just carry her out..." Donna said quietly, blinking back tears again.

Eric sighed, rubbing her back gently. "Everything's okay now, though, okay? She's fine, she's safe. And, they'll catch this guy. They have to... cause if they don't Hyde's gonna go hunt him down, and we don't want that..."


	12. Chapter 12

Three days later, Angie came into Grooves Records to see Jackie and Hyde standing behind the counter.

"Hi... you're back to work, that's good... and you look like you feel better..." she said hesitantly.

"I'm fine." Jackie nodded.

"Look, about what happened... Jackie, honest, I didn't want that to happen..."

"I know that, Angie." Jackie said with a shake of her head. "It's whatever. You feel guilty- which you should, but it wasn't your intentions, so... you're off the hook."

"You forgive me?"

"I said you're off the hook; don't push it."

Angie nodded. "Right... So... you gonna get your DJ job back?"

"Well, they said I could, but Steven offered me a job here."

"Here?" Angie frowned. "Doing what, exactly? Making out with him on the couch over there?"

"Hey, how we spend coffee breaks is none of your business. Besides, I like having her around, and she's good with customers." Hyde said, putting an arm around Jackie's waist. "I already filled the paperwork out."

"Without asking me at all?"

"Yeah, considering, I didn't think I had to."

Jackie held her hands up in a T. "Time out. That's enough, you two. It's over, you're going to have to figure this out, because I don't want it rehashed over and over- I want to forget it happened. It was _awful_..." she said, a small shudder going through her petite frame.

Putting an arm around her, Hyde opened his mouth to argue, but, Kelso and Eric walked in the door with Donna and Fez.

"Hyde!" Eric said quickly. "They found the guy, arrested him."

"Hey! I was gonna tell him!" Kelso pouted.

"So... what happens now?" Jackie asked, clutching to Hyde's shirt.

"Unless he can make bail, he's locked up until his court date." Eric explained to her.

Jackie nodded, leaning against Hyde, who tightened his grip.

"Kelso... get me into that jail?"

"Steven, no!" Jackie said.

"I just wanna talk to him... just a minute."

"No, you want to beat him up."

"Yes, yes I do..."

"Hyde, Kelso would get fired and you would get arrested yourself, plus it could screw up his sentencing if the judge considered it police brutality considering Kelso let you." Donna said logically, patting him on the arm.

Hyde sighed, rubbing Jackie's arm gently. "Okay... fine."

"Besides, Steven... we have a wedding to plan; I already had sent the invitations out, so the date is still the same, and we're a week behind."

"Oh, yeah... we haven't even gotten a place yet..."

"Don't worry about it; we can crash at my mom's until we find something, she's not even there." Jackie dismissed.

"Hey, what about Betsy?"

Jackie raised an eyebrow at him. "What about her?"

"Well... could she be the flower girl?"

"Micheal, she just learned to crawl... I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Come on, we can put the basket around her neck like those barrels on the St. Bernard's..."

"She's a baby, not a dog, Kelso..." Donna said, shaking her head at him.

"But, that would be funny..." Fez argued.

And, just like that, everything started to fall into step of normalcy again, and Hyde could feel that it would be all right, as he heard his friends joking and bickering back and forth.

"No, Donna, you are not wearing pants in my wedding!" floated past his ears, and he smiled, holding Jackie even tighter still.

Everything important to him was right here in this room- right here in his arms, and he would never let her go again...

-End-


End file.
